Wheel construction



- Aug. 27, 1946. G. A. LYON 2,406,390

WHEEL CONSTRUCTiON Filed March 19, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l nYEm :7? 05030: /94 5hr Aka/y. I M

G'. A. LYON WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Aug. 27 1946.

Filed March 19, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L W F Patented Aug. 27, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE George Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J. Application March 19, 1943, Serial No. 479,701

This invention relates to an improved wheel structure and is directed more particularly to an improved cover assembly therefor.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel retaining structure for an ornamental cover assembly adapted for disposition over a Wheel structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel attaching arrangement for a multipart cover assembly adapted for disposition over a wheel structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for a wheel structure a novel cover assembly which is so retained upon the wheel structure that the parts thereof are maintained in tight fitting engagement with each other and with the wheel structure elastically and in such a manner that development of vibratory action or rattling between the parts-and the wheel structure due to the parts taking a set, is obviated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcing arrangement for a cover member adapted for disposition over the outer side of a wheel structure.

While the foregoing aspects of my invention may be utilized with cover members constructed from any one of many sheet materials available,

I particularly contemplate the adaptation thereof to cover assemblies in which are used sheet material such as'synthetic plastic, rubber, either natural or synthetic, or any other-material having elastically flexible, resiliently compressible characteristics. Additionally my invention is well adapted for use with cover assemblies utilizing sheet metal of a thinspringy nature.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-part cover assembly of the above character wherein the cover parts may be secured together as a unit so that in the event that an annular radially outer part thereof is constructed from a relatively resilient plastic, the central hub cap simulating portion, should it b constructed from relatively rigid sheet metal, will be protected by the annular part if the cover unit is dropped edgewise on a hard surface.

In accordance with the general features of my invention there is provided herein for a wheel structure, a multi-part cover assembly which includes an outer annular portion and a central hub cap simulating portion, the inner periphery of the outer annular portion being arranged to detachably receive the outer peripheral part of the central hub cap portion and being so configurated that it is reinforced at its inner periphery, this 4 Claims. (01. 301-37) her or by other reinforcing means associated with r reinforcement being obtained by a cross-sectional 2 beaded configuration which additionally serves as the retaining part for engaging thecentral hub cap portion, and provides an abutment element for limiting the axial inward movement of the cover assembly to the proper degree during assembly thereof with the wheel structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a multi-part cover assembly for a wheel structure which includes an outer annular portion and a central hub cap portion detachably secured thereto, the entire cover assembly being secured to the wheel structure by engagement of a part of the outer annular cover part therewith. I

It is another important object of this invention to provide for a cover member, particularly one constructed from a frangible material such as synthetic plastic, rubber, or the like, and having a peripheral beaded snap-on portion, a reinforcement arrangement disposed adjacent the peripheral snap-on bead to reinforce the same against its snap-on movement whereby it, engages snapon means on the wheel structure under increased stress condition thereby to more securely retain the same on th wheel structure. This reinforcement may be provided by a central hub cap memthe first named cover member for the specific purpose described above. V e

Many other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the fo1lowing description and which:

Figure 1' is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation of a wheelv structure embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of a Wheel constructed in accordance with Figure 1;

Figure 3 isa fragmentary cross-sectional view of a wheel structure embodying a modified form of my invention;

. Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of a wheel structure embodying still another modified form of my invention;

Figure 5 is a, fragmentary cross-sectional view embodying a still further modified form of my invention; and r Figure 6 is a fragmentarycross-sectional view showing the actionof the construction of Figure '5 duringthe snap-on or pry-off operationofthe cover assembly;

It will be understood that the embodiments shown herein" ar for illustrative purposes only and may be changed or modified witho'utdeaccompanying drawings in H3 designates generally cludes a central bolt-on flange 1 ing an inner tube 18 and a portion 20 is provided with an apertur tially reinforced, parti edge having retaining 'ingthe wheel structure t 'be aligned with the severa posed apertures between th tire rim ill and the flange 1 parting from the spirit and scope of the invention j as set forth in the appended claims.

As shown in Figure 1 the reference character 7 ing or welding or the li H to a central body part or spider I2 which in- IB. A dropcenter H3 is further provided with opposite side mediate flanges l5 and A suitable tire I! havvalve stem i9 is e rim, on of the side walls M having an orifice throughwhich the valve stem l9 may project. In the type of wheel structure shown in Figure 1 the substantially axially extending flange 12a of the body part I2 is depressedgat spaced portions, these depressions affording circumferentially spaced apertures at the 1 junction of the tire rim It and the body part 12 of the wheel. 7

The cover assembly shown in Figure 1 includes an outer annular portion 29 and a central hub cap simulating portion 2!. The annular outer cover portion ZEiis provided at its outer peripheral edge with a substantially inwardly turned flange 22 and is preferably of such a diameter rim flanges It, opposite inter opposite edge portions It.

mounted upon th e that it extends substantially over the entire outer.

side of the wheel rim It] thus to conceal the same. This cover portion is so cross-sectionally configurated that when disposed over the wheel structure it constitutes in effect a continuation of the side wall of a tire to give the appearance of being a part of the tire and in fact gives the appearance of being a white side wall on the tire H in the tire rim l0 when it is colored white.

As will be seen from the drawings, the cover e 23 through which th tire valve stem l9 may project so that it is accessible for inflation of the tire.

From Figure 1 it will be seenthat the cover portion 20 of the cover assembly effectively conceals not only the outer side of the tire rim I!) but also will overlie any appurtenances such as wheel balancing weights which might'be associated therewith. Under such circumstances it is desirable that thecover portion 213 be, from time to time, locally flexed axially outwardly to render these appurtenances available for servicing and to this end, as indicated previously, the cover member maybe constructed from synthetic plastic or other material having the desired resilient flexibility. The flexed position of the cover member as set forth above is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Y In order that the cover portion 20 be substancularlyat the part thereof which engages the central hub cap portion 2! as will be described presently, it is provided at substantially the "inner peripheral part thereof with a radially inwardly facing rib or bead portion 24. This bead or rib 24 is provided with a peripheral means thereon for engago retain the cover assembly thereon, this retaining-means including sub- 'stantiallyfaxially inwardly extending arms 25 terminating in axially outwardly, radially outobliquely' disposed fingers 25 which are of the cover part 2% to 1 circumferentially dise base flange l lot the Ma of the body part mbers 26 wardly, spaced circumferentially i2; The terminal edges of the finger me are so arranged as to prescribe a circle having a. diameter larger than that of the, circle prea multi-flange, drop center type of tire rim which is connected as by rivetke through a base flange provision of the head 24 ther the tire rim l0. Thus as the cover portion 26 is urged axially'inwardly of the wheel structure with the fingers 26 in registry with the circumferentially spaced apertures in the wheel structure, the fingers 25 are deflected radially inwardly and slide over the opposed faces of the flanges H and i211. Upon reaching the position shown in Figure 1 it will be seen that any attempted withdrawal of the cover portion its will cause the terminal ends of the fingers 26 to bite into the radially inner surface of the base flange ll of th tire rim and withdrawal will be prevented. V

The cover assembly shown in Figure 1 is completed by the attachment of the central hub cap simulating portion 2! thereto. The hub cap portion 2'! is provided with a central crown portion Zihaving the peripheral margin thereof formed cross-sectionally to provide an ornamental reinforcing bead 28 terminating in a snap-on flange 29 having a peripheral bead 3B. The snap-on flange or skirt 29 is cross-sectionally formed to provide an annular depression or groove which faces radially outwar the radially inner surface of the bead 2d of'the cover portion 29 in nested relationship after the peripheral bead 39 thereof has been urged axially inwardly over the surfaceof the bead 24 into the position shown in Figure 1. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that the bead Ed has many advantages which contribute to the strength and efiiciency of the entire cover assembly. During the assembly of the cover part 2% upon the wheel by axially inward movement of the cover relative thereto, it will be seen that the bead 24 effectively acts as a stop or limiting device whereby the inserting operation .must necessarily cease when the flange 22 on the outer periphery thereof is disposed in the desired position as shown in Figure 1. The bead 24 also serves as an efficient reinforcing medium for the cover part 25 and furthermore acts to afford flexing of the retaining niemberarms 25 during the insertion operation so that the retaining members are easily aligned radially with the circumferentially spaced apertures in the wheel structure and to afford flexing of the cover memher about the arms 2d of the retaining members. Additionally the bead 25 serves as a reinforcing agency for the cover member 28 so that the snapon flange 29 of the hub cap member 2i may be securely retained in snap-on pry-offrelationship. As indicated previously the .cover portion 28 is desirably formed from a flexible resilient vmaterial such as synthetic plastic or .thelike and the einnot only provides the necessary snap-on :pry-off distortion for the central hub cap part but also, at the same time, provides the necessary reinforcement for therelatively flangible cover member 29 whereby the latter may withstand the pressure engagement .of the central hub cap member '2! and further will withstand the pry-off operation necessary to remove the hub cap 2| therefrom to render the bolton flange E3 of the wheelstructure accessible.

Another important advantage of the attaching engagement between the central hubcap portion 2! and the cover partZfi when the latter is made of plasticis that the hub cap portion ofthe cover is retained resiliently or elastically in engagement with the assembly, this elastic or resilient retention obviating the development sci-relative vibration between the parts or rattling-therebetween should the central hub cap portion .be conflange i l of dly and is adapted to receive structed from metal and take-a set after being retained on the wheel-structure for a period of cap portion 2| is similar to that disclosed in Figure 1. In this construction, however, the entire cover assembly including the central hub ca art 2| and the radially outer annular part 3| is retained upon the Wheel structure by virtue-of a substantially axially inwardly extending flange 32 formed at the outer peripheral edge of the cover portion 3 I, this flange 32 being of such cross-sectional magnitude that it extends substantially axially inwardly over the radially outer surface of the edge portion I6 of the tire rim sufliciently far to be wedged between the edge portion of the tire rim and the adjacent portion of the side wall of the tire I 1 when the tire is inflated.

If the cover portion 3| is constructed from a sheet material'having sufficient resiliency, it'will be seen that the flange 32 may be snapp d over the edge portion I5 of the tire rim H) to assemble the cover member on the wheel structure. If desired however the flange may be split transversely to facilitate this yielding or resilient action of the flange 32 during the snap-on or pry-off operation.

In this construction the inner peripheral margin of the cover member 3| is likewise formed with apradially inwardly extending reinforcing bead 33 as in the construction shown in Figure 1. The bead 33 however terminates in a peripheral edge portion which is arranged for abutting en gagement with the outer surface of the body part 12 of the wheel structure. In this construction also the snap-on flange 29 'and the peripheral bead 30 of the cover portion 2| is slidingly engaged over the bead 33 to afford snap-on pry-off engagement of the central cover portion 2| with the outer annular portion 3|. In this construction 'also the tire valve l3 extends substantially axially outwardly of the wheel structure sufiie ciently far to protrude through a registering aperture 34 in the cover part 3| thereby to be accessible for inflation of the tire. From the foregoing it will be seen that the construction of Fi ure 3 is attached and detached from the wheel structure by virtue of the snap-on pry-off engagemerit of the flange 32 with the edgeportion'lfi of the tire rim and thus removal or attachment of the entire cover assembly may be accomplished by engagement or disengagement of the flange 32 with the wheel structure without necessitating the removal of the central hub cap simulating cover part 2| from the outer annular cover part 3| It will be understood that the attributes described in connection with the construction of Figure l are likewise present in the construction of Figure 3.

In the construction of Figure 4 the cover assembly includes an outer annular portion 35 adapted for disposition over the outer side of the tire rim and extending radially peripherally inward to overlie a portion of the spider l2 and a hub cap simulating central portion 36 which is adapted for snap-on pry-off attachment to the cover portion 35 as will be explained p ese y.

In this construction, as in the construction shown in Figure 3, the entire cover assembly is retained upon the wheel structure by virtue of a flange 31 at the outer peripheral edge of the cover part 35, this flange 31 being arranged to overlie the radially outer surface of the edge portion lb of the tire rim l0 and having a transverse depth sufficiently great "so that it is wedged between thev adjacent side wall of a tir'e'in the tirerim and the edge portion thereof when the ti're is inflatedi In this construction the cover portion 35 is-provided atfits inner peripheral edge with a substantially outwardly extending snap-on flange 38 extending bumps39. As will be seen from Figure 4 the bumps 39 are adapted to receive, on their axially inward surwhich is provided with spaced, fradiallyoutwardly faces, a snap-on head 40 formed at the outer periphery of the central hub cap simulating portion 36 of the cover assembly. As will be seen from the drawings the curved'junction 4| between the body portion of-the cover member 35 and the snap-on flange 38 thereof is arranged to rest against the adjacent portion of the outer surface of the body part l2 and thus in effect constitutes a liner between the bead 40 of the central hub cap portion 36 and the body part 12. 'As previously indicated the cover part 35 is preferably constructed from a material giving it resilient characteristics and thus in its sandwiched relationship, as shown in Figure 4, the portion 4| thereof serves as a'cus'hion to prevent the development of vibration and rattling between the central'hub cap portion 36 and the wheel structure; In the construction shown in Figure 5 the body part '12 of the wheel structure is so cross-section ally configurated' as to provide radially inwardly extending bumps |2b which ceive the cover assembly in snap-on pry-off relationship in a manner to be presently described, In this constructionthe cover assembly-includes an outer annular portion'42 having a turned peripheral edge 42;; disposed radially outwardly of the edgeportion N5 of thetire rim lo and a central hub cap simulating portion 43, the latter being provided with an intermediate radially outwardly'extending rib portion 44, a substantially axially inwardly extending snap-on flange 45 terminating in a peripheral snap-on bead 46.

'The cover member 42, formed preferably from a syntheticplastic or a rubber-like material having the desired resiliency and flexibility is provided with a cross-sectional configuration of such shape and magnitude that it extends over and conceals the outer side of the tire rim H1 ande'x tends radially inwardly over a substantial portion of the spider 12 thus effectively concealing a large part of the outer side of the wheel structure and constituting in appearance a continuation of the side wall of the tire to give the tire a massive appearance.

In this construction the outer annular cover portion 42 is likewise provided with a bead 41, this head 41 however being arranged to extend substantially axially outwardly and terminating in a substantially axially inwardly extending V snap-on flange 48 terminating in a snap-on bead 49. The circular dimensions of the snap-on bead 46 of the central cover member 43 and the snapon flange 48 of the outer cover member 42 are such that the central hub cap portion 43 may be urged axially inwardly of the cover portion 42 so that head 46 thereof overrides the outer part of the bead 41 on the cover portion 42 and comes to rest in a radially inwardly facing shallow groove provided by the cross-sectional configuration of the snap-on flange 48 of the cover portion 42. Thus it will be seen that the cover portions of this construction may be effectively retained as a, unitary structure and as will be s en pr s y this unitary structure may be reare adapted to regagement with the bumps eeeaeeo t ist the par icu arl rnotedrthatzwhe the er-t ne '4 n axia ly 11 o e memb a onei ro vid s the -o enzb o the b par I2 of e h e st uc u e By rei n e tel-i u 6 the a ta e o thi const uct n 1 clearly understood. As previously ,in elicated the outer e m b A is n e e abl onstru t d o a resilie yiel eble m t ia landa orei ely whenthe cover pa ts i a d ha e be n assembled as a unit they ay he-attached to the whee s uc u e me b p essin -t ent r assembly axiallyinwardly whereby the bead .49 of the cover member 42 overrides the bumps 12b of the'body part I2 and :comes to rest on the substantiallyaxially inwardlydisposed face thereof.

As will .be seen from figure 6 the action of the bead 49 and the adjacent portion of the snap-on flange AB during attachment anddetachment of the coverassembly comprises aradialiy inwardly compression of the rover-extendingportion off-the yieldable flange 48 .andthe bead '59 the snap-on flange 45 of the .cover member? and its periph- V eral bead 46 serving ,as a reinforcing, fulcrum point-for the inward flexing of the inner peripheral edge of the coyer member 42. With such a construction it will be seen that the cover assembly is retained upon the wheel structure by engagement of the yieldable cover member42 and that the cover member is retained in position by engagement with the yieldable snap-on flange 48 of the cover member 42. Accordingly it will be seen that "parts of the coverjmember' 42 are vinterposed between the hub cap simulating portion 43 and the wheel structure thus to insure against 1 the development of vibration and rattling between the parts. Furthermore this flexing =action of the'inner peripheral portionof the cover member 42, because it is securely backed up or reinforced by the beadJAS of the covermember 63, serves emciently to retain the entire cove-r assembly upon thewheel structure in snap-on relationship.

What I claim is:

1. .In a'cover structure for a wheel including'a' multi flanged tire receiving rim member and a body member, covering exposed side flanges of the rim member a wheel ,cover for substantially over pa t a e in th ir as mbled.relatiqnsh n shown-in the re lie t. snap-en flan e 68 of the cover part 4.2 over-extends the snap-eon fl nsefl of the cove 3 ward direction and that the head 49 of the outer melee ef iorm .sustaininsbu resili ntl iel ahie 7 plastic m t al and te me ie de a heblerengagement witha wheel member, said cover comp isin a an i lus havi an inner mar i orm d in o a a ial y extendin r eldable ho ow 3 .8 o e n ex osed de flan e o th r m membe e 1 Q m sus ais u e il entl r e s ab e l sti ma rial nd term d fo d t h e ne e men With-a wh e me ber sa d o er em-v p s ng l nn u ha in an ne m r in formed into a radially extending hollow rib a hub cap snapped into resilientjengagement with d ri n reta n d e eby on he wheel Sa annulus having its outer margin turned rearwardly into a hollow-rib ofia diameter to elastie cally fit over and around an outer edge of the rim member :adjacent the tire to retain the o'pyer onthewheel. Y I l' .3. In a cover structure fora wheel including a multi-flanged tire receiving rim member a m'iia body member, a wheel cover for substantially coy.- ering exposed side flanges of the rim member made loflform sustaining but resiliently yieldable plastic material and iormed for detachable engagement with a wheel omemher said cover comprising an annulus having an inner margin formed into a radially extending hollow rib and ahub cap snapped into resilient'engagement with said rib and retained thereby on the. wheel, said n age with a Whee m er s i ove comprising an annulus having an inner margin 'formed into a radially extending hollow rib and a hub cap snapped into resilient engagement with said rib andretained thereby on the wheeL said ib of e co e b i perm A d i r a a dly extending retaining means for detachable ena gagement with one of said wheel members.

i GEORGE AT-IBERTLYON: 

